Mylène Bru
Sète
Born in Sète and raised in the Corbières, Mylène has now settled north of the port town of Sète, along the Mediterranean Sea. She started without any electricity, on a small patch of soft, chalky limestone that is completely untouched, and shares no neighbors (and so no runoff). Her estate is a small one. The vineyards are covered in a local herb, 'garrigue', which impart an unmistakable savory flavor to her elegant, natural wines. She works biodynamically on a mere 5 hectares, where she grows a litany of different varieties like Tempranillo, Carignan, Cinsault, Syrah, Aubun, Chasselas, amongst others. These grapes are pristine, and Mylène fosters them into these incredible wines that are stuff of their dreams. There's nothing like listening to Mylène tell the story of her wines. It's a love story, through and through, and that's the criteria that matters most to us. Rita is an ode to Mylène's grandmother, and to Rita Hayworth. As a woman, Mylène wasn't welcome to take the reins for her winemaking family. Her passion and vision is all her own. These wines are her ideas. There are so many great wines out there, but the wines from Mylène has something we don't discuss enough in the natural wine community: a perspective, a human hand and heart that tells us a story about their beautiful place on the foothills of the Pyrenees.
2022
Vdf "Soleil de Nuit" 2022
VARIETY: 70% Carignan / 30% Cinsault
TERROIR : From a single plot of vines: La rompue du bas. Organic.
VINIFICATION:
Both grape varieties vinified in whole bunches in two separate vats. The two grape varieties are blended as soon as alcoholic fermentation is complete.
Aged 4 months in stainless steel vats. Light racking. Unfiltered.
Vdf "Serve the Servant" 2022
VARIETY: A forgotten grape variety, Servant has a thick skin with an attractive amber-pink hue that allows it to harvested late. Organic.
TERROIR : 2 small limestone terraces in the garrigue on well-exposed hillsides Mediterranean climate, hot and dry. North-facing.
Hand-harvested at maturity in late September,
VINIFICATION: Careful small press, fermentation lasts about 3 weeks. Aged on lees. Racking after racking, it clarifies naturally over a year and a half. Unfiltered.
Vdf "Franquette!" 2022
VARIETY: Syrah
TERROIR : Mediterranean limestone/clay-limestone, warm and dry.
Organic.
VINIFICATION: Vinified in whole bunches and destemmed at low temperature for 3 weeks in stainless-steel vats for 3/4 months, lightly racked, then bottled. Unfilterd.
Vdf "Cartouche" 2022
VARIETY: 80% Grenache / 20% Cinsault
TERROIR :
Four small Villafranchian parcels bordered by oak woods. Very stony clay-silt-sand soil. Mediterranean, hot and dry climate. North-facing, with frost-free exposure despite the height of the hillside. Organic.
VINIFICATION:
Grenache: 1/3 direct pressing, 1/3 destemmed, 1/3 short carbonic maceration.
Cinsault: destemmed and low-temperature alcoholic fermentation. Aged for 4/5 months in stainless steel vats, then blended in small vats over the winter. Bottling in March of the following year. Unfiltered.
2021
Vdf "Zingara" 2021
VARIETY : Marsanne
TERROIR : In 2018, this small Marsanne vineyard was saved from being uprooted. Grown organically for over 12 years, this plot is completely surrounded by wild fennel. Its label is inspired by Camargue westerns, in which Camargue horses and gypsies played the starring role. Small 25-acre Villafranchian terrace with a clay structure also composed of fine gravel. Light, stony texture. Presence of wild fennel.
Organic.
VINIFICATION :Fermented at low temperature. Aged in stainless steel tanks for 5 months on lees and bottled in the spring. No filtration but successive, slow rackings, allowing its clarification. Unfiltered.
Vdf “Cartouche” 2021
VARIETY : Mostly Grenache, a little Cinsault.
TERROIR : Four small plots bordered by a forest of oak trees. Stony clay-silt-sand soil, hot and dry climate. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
1/3 direct press, 1/3 destemmed, 1/3 short carbonic maceration of 1 night.
Aged 4-5 months in stainless steel vats then blended in small vats for the winter. Bottling in March of the following year.
Vdf “Franquette” 2021
VARIETY : Syrah
TERROIR : Clay / Limestone hot and dry climate with the presence of air marin.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Whole bunches vinified at low temperature during 3 days. Aged in stainless steel vats for 3-4 months.
2020
Vdf "Monts et Merveilles" 2020
VARIETY: Syrah
TERROIR : A single parcel of Syrah: the 60-year-old Syrah du Triangle. Lacustrine limestone, very filtering soil. Mediterranean, hot and dry. climate The plot faces north, is cold and very exposed to the wind. The bunches of grapes are millerandered, resulting in small fruit and extreme biodiversity. Organic.
VINIFICATION: Very gentle destemming. Slow vatting for around 3 weeks, with completion of alcoholic fermentation and very slow pressing in the small vertical wooden cage press with Esparto scourtins that naturally filter the run-off juice. Mixing of press and runner. Aged in vats for at least 15 months, with light racking to eliminate lees. Unfiltered.
Vdf “Cartouche” 2020
VARIETY : 80% Grenache / 20% Cinsault
TERROIR : Four small plots bordered by a forest of oak trees. Stony clay-silt-sand soil, hot and dry climate. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Grenache: 1/3 direct press, 1/3 destemmed, 1/3 short carbonic maceration.
Cinsault is destemmed and fermented at a low temperature. Aged 4-5 months in stainless steel vats then blended in small vats for the winter. Bottling in March of the following year.
Vdf “Zulu” 2020
VARIETY : 90% Grenache / 10% Hamburg Muscat
TERROIR : Plots surrounded by oaks and cypresses. Clay-limestone soil with some flint and shell fossils. Hot and dry Mediterranean climate.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION : Destemmed fruits macerated together. The wine is racked before the end of fermentation and racked again for clarification post-fermentation. Aged for 4 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling.
Vdf “Soleil de Nuit” 2020
VARIETY : 70% Carignan / 30 % Cinsault
TERROIR : La Rompue du Bas, a sloping plot, limestone soil, hot and dry climate, air marin.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Whole bunches and destemmed bunches layered.
Aged 4 months in stainless steel tanks. Light racking to separate the wine from its lees very delicately.
Franquette” 2020 (Syrah)
VARIETY : Syrah
TERROIR : Clay / Limestone hot and dry climate.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Whole bunches vinified at low temperature during 3 weeks. Aged in stainless steel vats for 3-4 months, lightly racked and then bottled.
2019
Vdf "Far Ouest" 2019
VARIETY: Made from a blend of all the estate's red varieties: Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Cinsault for the most part. From the small rows of Tempranillo grown in the in the Syrah plot of Petit Mazet and Aubun in the Carignan of La Côte.
TERROIR : White, limestone soils, rich in magnesia for Syrah and Grenache. Clay-limestone and limestone-lacustrine soils for the old Carignans; clay terraces with fine gravel for the Cinsaults. Mediterranean, hot and dry climate. Dominant exposures are north and northeast, with different slopes for each plot. Ripe grapes are sought. Organic.
VINIFICATION: Whole-cluster vatting for 10 to 20 days in small closed vats for the Carignans and for certain plots of Syrah, depending on the vintage. No pumping-over: gentle extraction. Pressing in a small vertical press, blending press and drop. Each parcel is vinified separately and blended in the spring following harvest and aged in stainless-steel vats for 15 to 18 months (no aging in wood). Unfiltered.
Vdf "Les Moulins de mon Coeur" 2019
VARIETY: 35% Syrah /35% Carignan / 30% Cinsault
TERROIR : Three small clay-limestone terraces with fine gravel. Mediterranean, hot and dry. North and northeast exposure. Organic.
VINIFICATION:
De-stemmed, vatting in small superimposed layers (like a lasagna), alternating the three grape varieties.
Vatting and alcoholic fermentation of the three grape varieties at the same time, in the same vat, for 10 days. When the juice has reached the marc cap on its own, it is pressed in a small vertical press, then blended with the free-run juice. Aged in vats for at least 15 months, with light racking to eliminate lees.
Vdf "Monts & Merveilles" 2019
VARIETY : Syrah
TERROIR :
A single plot of Syrah: the 60 year old Syrah du Triangle. Lacustrine limestone. The plot is north-facing, cold, exposed to the Mistral wind, the bunches of grapes are millerandered, resulting in small fruits and an extreme biodiversity. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION : Gently destemmed grapes. Vatting time of about 3 weeks, very slow with completion of the alcoholic fermentation and very slow pressing in the small vertical wooden press. Aged in vats for at least 15 months, Unfiltered.
Vdf “Rita” 2019
VARIETY : Carignan
TERROIR :
60+ year old vines
Two sloping plots of pure limestone bordered by a small wood of wild garrigue called the "Rompues".
Hot and dry Mediterranean climate. Fully northern exposure swept by the tramontane winds.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION : Whole bunches macerated from 15 days to 1 month in small vats. Aged in vats for 15/18 months with regular racking and some with light aeration.
Vdf “Zingara” 2019
VARIETY : Marsanne
TERROIR :
Clay and fine gravel. Grown amongst some wild fennel. From old neighboring vines, converted to bio, Mireille inherited 5 years ago. Hot and dry Mediterranean climate.
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Fermented at low temperature.
Aged in stainless steel tanks for 5 months on lees and bottled in the spring. No filtration but successive, slow rackings, allowing its clarification.
2018
Vdf "Far Ouest" 2018
VARIETY : Cinsault / Carignan / Syrah / Grenache / Aubun / Temparillo
TERROIR : White earth, crumbly limestone, rich in magnesia for Syrah and Grenache. Clay-limestone and lacustrine limestone soils for the old Carignans. Clayey terraces with fine gravel for the Cinsaults. Hot and dry climate. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked mature grapes.
VINIFICATION : Vatting in whole bunches for 10 to 20 days in small closed vats for the Carignans and for certain plots of Syrah depending on the vintage. Vinified separately, the vats are blended in the spring following their harvest. Aged in stainless steel vats for 15 to 18 months.
2017
Vdf "Far Ouest" 2017
VARIETY : Cinsault / Carignan / Syrah / Grenache
TERROIR : White earth, crumbly limestone, rich in magnesia for Syrah and Grenache. Clay-limestone and lacustrine limestone soils for the old Carignans. Clayey terraces with fine gravel for the Cinsaults. Hot and dry climate. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked mature grapes.
VINIFICATION : Vatting in whole bunches for 10 to 20 days in small closed vats for the Carignans and for certain plots of Syrah depending on the vintage. Vinified separately, the vats are blended in the spring following their harvest. Aged in stainless steel vats for 15 to 18 months.
Vdf "Les Moulins de mon Coeur" 2017
VARIETY : 35 % Cinsault / 35 % Carignan / 35 % Syrah
TERROIR : 3 small clay/limestone plots with fine gravel. Mediterranean climate, hot and dry. North-east exposures. Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Whole bunches placed in fiberglass tanks. Mylène placed a layer of Cinsault then a layer of Carignan and then a layer of Syrah and repeated this until the tank was full.
6 day maceration before pressing.
Vdf "Rita" 2017
VARIETY : Carignan
TERROIR : 50 year old vines
Certified Organic.
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION : 20 day maceration then matured for 10 months in tanks before being bottled with a very small amount of sulphur this year.
Vdf "Lady Chasselas" 2017
VARIETY : Chasselas
TERROIR :
Plot of 50 ares on old scrubland clearing. Massal selection of a very old vine of Chasselas.
The vines are at least 50 years old and face East North East. Hot and dry Mediterenean climate. Clay and limestone soils. Crumbly rock, rich in magnesia, comparable to chalk.
Certified Organic
HARVEST : hand picked
VINIFICATION :
Direct press
Elevage on lees in stainless steel tanks for 5 months and bottling in spring.
No filtration but light successive rackings, slowly allowing its clarification.